The Rochester International Jazz Festival enters its third decade with the 21st annual edition, which runs from June 21-29 this year. The festival’s co-producers, Marc Iacona and John Nugent, announced the lineup — which features more than 1,750 artists playing 326 concerts — Tuesday at The Inn on Broadway.

"Jazz music is special because of its emphasis on improvisation, complexity, expressiveness, collaboration, cultural fusion, innovation and timeliness,” said Iacona, the festival’s co-producer and executive director. “These qualities combined to create a uniquely rich and rewarding musical experience that resonates with people of all backgrounds and all ages. This is what drives John and I, this is what has driven us for 20 years.”
The Inn on Broadway, along with brand new space The Duke at Sibley Square, will be featured venues in the festival’s Club Pass Series for the first time this year. The festival will continue to host more than 100 free shows at outdoor stages, including those on Jazz Street, the corner of East Avenue and Chestnut Street, and at Parcel 5.

Nugent, the festival’s co-producer and artistic director, compared planning the festival to working on a giant puzzle.

“Anybody sat at a living room table with your kids and done a 10,000 piece puzzle?" he said. "You know how it takes a while. Well, it takes about a year to put this together every year.”

The RIJF lineup includes numerous return appearances of note, from Ghanaian drummer Paa Kow and his Afro-fusion band to traditional jazz outfit The Brubeck Brothers and R&B drummer and singer Sheila E. Stylistic diversity continues to be a feature of the festival, with the likes of blues guitarist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, pop band Bermuda Search Party, and jazz singer Stacey Kent.

Local artists like  reggae-rock band Majestics, saxophonist Judah Sealy, and singer Cinnamon Jones will be featured at the festival as well as musicians from 16 countries, including Cimafunk from Cuba, violinist Luca Ciarla from Italy, and Canadian singer-songwriter Alexa Dirks AKA Begonia.



Monroe County Executive Adam Bello applauded the event for its ability to unite people in Rochester. 

“Since 2002, this festival has been a staple in our community,” he said. “It brings together families, it welcomes people from across the country and really from around the world — bringing downtown alive with music and fun and culture.”

Three-day and nine-day passes are available for ticketed concerts at the club venues. For more ticket information and for the complete festival lineup, visit rochesterjazz.com.

Daniel J. Kushner is an arts writer at CITY. He can be reached at [email protected].